Store Blog

The 990’s original designers were tasked with creating the single best running shoe on the market. After four years of research and development, the finished product more than lived up to its billing. When it hit shelves for the first time in 1982 the 990 sported an elegantly understated grey colorway, and a then unheard of three-figure price tag.

 For avid runners and ahead of the curve tastemakers alike, the 990 was a mark of quality and superior taste. There have been updates to the design since ’82, and more colour options, but the 990’s aspirational status symbol aura has never changed. Simply put, the 990 is the shoe so good, that they've never stopped making it.

 This may not be the “on trend” 990 right now but it is without question the most important. First pig suede upper, first grey NB, first use of 3M reflective, first moulded C/R component, first dual density midsole... the list goes on. It also boasted a new Vibram compound and famously retailed at twice the price of any other competitor model (then unheard of three-figure price tag).

With a legacy spanning more than 75 years, René Cléon's story begins following his return from World War II when he formed a team of apprentices and bought his first stitching and assembly machines. The story begins in the family home in La Romagne, with a specialization on Kneipp sewn mixed models, and as the business grew, a factory is built. The sons Jacques and Louis-Marie took up the torch and diversified the business through the 70s and 80s.

In 1988, the KLEMAN label, under the Cléon name, was officially launched. Cléon then became a supplier for several French public administrations which trusted his know-how. The company wins increasingly large tenders; first to shoeing the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer [the French national railway company], then Air France, then will come Customs, certain fire departments, or even the French army. Initially reserved for trades seeking security, sturdiness and quality, most of our iconic models include the ISO EN-20347 standard and thus enable an additional guarantee thanks to anti-slip, abrasion resistance, and the innocuousness of materials. The manufacturing of our products remains exclusively carried out in France in our workshop in Anjou.

KLEMAN shoes have survived the fashion cycles by offering a raw and authentic unisex style. Their models will charm both men and women who seek a certain efficiency in a pure and uncompromising style. Their PADROR leather moc-toe shoe and other references of boots or derbies have remained unchanged since the 1980s. A classic and functional worker shoe which now dresses a new generation of talented urban dwellers around the world. KLEMAN sets up the professional shoe as a real accessory of a timeless workwear style. 

Novesta's production facilities date back to the 1930s, when the famous shoemaker Jan Antonin Bata opened a new factory in the small town of Partizánske in the middle of Slovakia. Over the time, Novesta has become one of the last purely European produced brands throughout Europe. Novesta’s unique sneakers, which pair imaginative design with timeless sophistication, are recognizable around the world.

For Novesta, quality design refers to more than fashion. They are dedicated to manufacturing shoes according to the highest environmental standards. That’s why they use materials such as natural rubber and 100% cotton and linen. These materials allow them to produce ecological footwear of the highest quality. Novesta uses only certified materials. The natural rubber sole is machine-pressed onto the body of the shoe. The shoe is then finished by precise manual work completed by skilled craftsmen. This ethnical and ecological process results in tire marks around the outsole – Novesta’s trademark look!

The signature shoe of the Novesta brand, the Star Master still carries the unmistakable chunky sole and vulcanization marks that guarantee a true Novesta shoe that can withstand the hardest challenges. Star Master originates from military sports shoes which were produced for half a century in Slovakia and combine comfort with a rugged determination. Every pair is handmade from the finest natural rubber and canvases. The style is recognizable anywhere in the world. The shoe carries the signature ‘Trampky’ logo which marks each pair as a descendant of the true Slovakian people’s shoe. The easily identified silhouette is a true European classic and one of the continent’s most enduring sneaker shapes.